The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-06-03
ETRusoAn RELICS.
Description OF a Visit 10 the Museum mt
the University OF Perngln.

/ Description of vlslt 10 the Museum at
the University OF Perugln.
The chief interest of this museum IL
| In the relies taken from old Etrusean
tomhs that have been found Just In the
neighborhood Of Perugia. A vast NUM-
ber of these were but cinerary nrns or
chests, with sculptored lids and sides.
in which had been treasured only the
ashes of the dead; for Il would seem To
have been the custom among this pco-
pie, In the ago when these tomhs were
prepared, to burn, rather than bury,
their dead, This. however. could not
have been altogether the custom. for
there were here also u guoi many
stone collins, all found Just about Pc
rugia, which was one Of the twelve
cities of the Etruscan confederation.
In several Of these the skeleton of the
entire body buried Was yet remaining.
Some of these We're evidently those of
great ladies', Princesses. perhaps. who
had been buried In fine uttlre aud
adorned with abundant jewolry.
Their mirrors, lamps, pans for food,
and u kind Of saucer for sacrifice or
incense, and especially their per-
fume bottles (doubtles, well filled nj
the time of their burial) were inclosed
in the coffin with them and remain he
side them. as they were Inferred. more
than two thousand years ago. / saw
In eases here hundreds and hundreds of
these little perfume bottles. They have
hecn called tacramntories, and have
been supposed To have contained the
tears shcd on the occasion of the death
of the one intombed. aud bottled up rs
an epitaph or everlasting testimony TO
their virtues or the affection with which
they have been regarded. Bnt | have
been assured by those much more
earnest in these matters than myself
that these were perfume bottles or
deodorizers of the close mir of their
small sleeping apartments to which
hey had been consigned. In one collin
the immense gold EARRINGS of most ele-
giant workmanship. which had dropped
from the ears, were lying as they had
been found. Great numbers of such
ornaments We're to be seen preserved
in eases under glass.
The head Of the Medusa with its curls
of snakes Is the one device which pre-
walls more than amy other ON these old
tomhs. and this Is at present in the
fashionable jewelers. shops of Rome the
favorite design, the newest fashion for
camel. oNydized silver cloak and bolt
clasps, and various ornaments of
ladies wear. Europa crossing the
Bosphorus. rs Tennyson describes her.
with cher mantle back from her
IL, l.. A
ing 'thc mild bulls golden horn is
another picture often repeated on these
old Etr1Isean tomhs. Serpents,
dragons. griilins and things mos,
horrid are oft-repcated symbols Of
Etruscan ideas of death. | could
not but. contrast them with the
rude sculptures. yet sweet and
of the catacombs such as "The
Good shepherd bearing ON his shoul-
deTs a lamb ever the river. of death. the
dove with an olive branch in its mouth.
sometimes on the back of n fish. swim
ming smoothly over the waters of the
lark ocean 20 show that il Is not Ia bc
feared but is rs the native element t.
the soul set free from the body perhaps
by cruel martyrdum. Then the in |
scriptions Ia "My Sweet Mother"
MY Sweetest Sister Lives "She
Lives with Cod" "She Lives with Us. |
Yet She Livcs;" for this asseveraiion
that ''She Lives" il repeated four
times ON one inscription. Very diff |
tercnt these symbols and epitaphs of |
the catacombs from these gorgons and |
Dragons on these old Etruscan tombs /
(thougd there are often sweet testi- |
monies of affection on these). showing /
hat new and sweetcr thought had /
,ome into the world with the new re-
ligion to which the catacombs are a
most powerful and still existing wit
ness.-Rome Cor. Detroit Post.